Biography

Parliamentary service

• Chosen by the Parliament of Queensland on 22.11.1984 under section 15 of the Constitution to represent that State in the Senate, vice K Martin (resigned). Elected to the Senate for Queensland 1987. Re-elected 1993 and 1998. Resigned 11.2.2000.

Ministerial appointments

• Minister for Resources and Energy from 11.3.1996 to 21.10.1998.

Committee service

• Joint Standing: Australian Capital Territory served from 16.5.1990 to 6.5.1992
• Joint Statutory: Public Accounts served as Deputy Chair from 19.8.1993 to 9.6.1994
• Senate Estimates: Estimates Group C served from 26.3.1985 to 31.3.1987; Estimates Group C served from 29.4.1987 to 29.9.1988; Estimates Group E served from 27.4.1988 to 28.4.1988; Estimates Group C served from 6.9.1989 to 7.5.1990; Estimates Group D served from 9.5.1990 to 9.10.1994
• Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Education and the Arts served from 26.2.1985 to 3.6.1986; Industry and Trade served from 6.5.1986 to 5.6.1987; Transport, Communications and Infrastructure served from 24.9.1987 to 7.5.1990; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: Legislation served as Substitute member from 21.11.1995 to 21.11.1995; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.6.1999 to 10.6.1999; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served from 30.6.1999 to 9.8.1999; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Chair from 10.8.1999 to 11.2.2000; Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport: References served as Substitute member from 13.10.1999 to 11.2.2000; Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education: Legislation served as Substitute member from 27.10.1999 to 27.10.1999
• Senate Select: Aircraft Noise in Sydney served as Chair from 23.3.1995 to 30.11.1995
• Senate Standing: Appropriations and Staffing served from 24.11.1998 to 11.2.2000

Conferences, delegations and visits

• Member, Parliamentary Delegation to the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, October 1988.
• Official visits to Republic of Korea and Japan, September-October 1996.
• Official visits to India and Indonesia, November 1996.
• Official visits to Canada, August 1997.
• Official visits to Taiwan, September 1997.
• Official visits to Papua New Guinea, October-November 1997.
• Official visits to Okinawa, Japan, October 1998.
• Study tour, Spain, UK and Ireland, July 1999.
• Attended 25th Conference of the CPA Australian and Pacific Regions, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, August 1999.

Parliamentary party positions

• Liberal Party of Australia. Served: 22.11.1984 to 11.02.2000
• Shadow Minister for Administrative Services, Local Government and the Australian Capital Territory from 11.4.1990 to 28.4.1992.
• Shadow Minister for Administrative Services from 28.4.1992 to 7.4.1993.
• Shadow Minister for Aviation and Tourism from 26.5.1994 to 11.3.1996.
• Shadow Minister for Customs from 25.9.1994 to 11.3.1996.

Other positions

• Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Personal

• Born: 6.4.1936, Wau, Papua New Guinea
• Died: 14.3.2014
• Gender: Male
• Marital Status: Married

Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament

• BCom (University of Melbourne).
• CPA (CPA Australia).
• Company Director.
• Deputy Chair of the Queensland Institute of Technology.

Honours

• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, 26.1.2005.

Publications

• Voluntary v compulsory voting: should it be a person's civic responsibility to vote - or a legal requirement?, W Parer, Brisbane: 1990.